Centralized surveillance of hydatidiform mole: 7-year experience from a regional hospital in China

ObjectiveTo assess the strategy and value of centralized surveillance of hydatidiform mole at a regional hospital in China and to investigate the necessity of prophylactic chemotherapy for high-risk complete hydatidiform mole.MethodsBetween February 2013 and February 2020, all women with hydatidiform mole in Dalian Women’s and Children’s Medical Center (Group) were registered for surveillance and treatment when indicated. Women with complete hydatidiform mole were categorized into low-risk and high-risk groups according to the criteria from Song Hongzhao’s trophoblastic neoplasia. Outcomes and treatments were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsIn total, 703 women with hydatidiform mole were registered for surveillance with a follow-up rate of 97.9% (688/703). 680 women were enrolled and 52 (7.6%) developed post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, all with low-risk International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) scores 0–5. Post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia was diagnosed in 12.3% (51/413) of patients with complete hydatidiform moles and 0.4% (1/263) of patients were diagnosed with partial hydatidiform moles (χ2=32.415, p<0.001). Post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia was diagnosed in 27.7% (28/101) of the high-risk complete hydatidiform mole group and in 7.4% (23/312) of the low-risk complete hydatidiform mole group (χ2=29.196, p<0.001). No difference in the pre-treatment assessments of patients with post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia was found between the low-risk and high-risk complete hydatidiform mole groups (all p>0.05). All 52 patients with post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia were cured, with a complete response rate of 61.2% (30/49) with first-line single-agent chemotherapy.ConclusionsA centralized hydatidiform mole surveillance program is feasible and effective and may improve the prognosis of patients with post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Prophylactic chemotherapy is not recommended for women with high-risk complete hydatidiform mole with adequate surveillance.

Coexistent molar pregnancy with a normal fetus-a rare presentation of gestational trophoblastic disease

A coexistent molar pregnancy with a normal fetus is rare, with an incidence of 1 in 22.000 to 100.000 pregnancies-only 200 cases reported in the last two decades. The ultrasound is essential for an earlier diagnosis, and the management of these cases is challenging due to the increased risk of obstetrics complications and the possibility of posterior gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Here we describe a 33-year-old healthy woman with a first-trimester twin pregnancy, presented with a normal fetus and a heterogeneous and vacuolar structure suggestive of complete hydatidiform mole. The pregnancy was interrupted, and a histological diagnosis confirmed complete hydatidiform mole in dichorionic/diamniotic twin pregnancy at 14 weeks. Molar twin pregnancy is a rare condition, and do not exist any consensus protocol to guide the clinical approach, so the decision to continue the pregnancy depends on the couple’s desire and maternal and fetal complications.

Twin Gestation with Complete Hydatidiform Mole and Demise of Co-Existing Fetus

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The X Chromosome from Telomere to Telomere: Key Achievements and Future Opportunities

While the human genome represents the most accurate vertebrate reference assembly to date, it still contains numerous gaps, including centromeric and other large repeat-containing regions – often termed the “dark side” of the genome – many of which are of fundamental biological importance. Miga et al. present the first gapless assembly of the human X chromosome, with the help of ultra-long-read nanopore reads generated for the haploid complete hydatidiform mole (CHM13) genome. They reconstruct the ~3.1 megabase centromeric satellite DNA array and map DNA methylation patterns across complex tandem repeats and satellite arrays. This Telomere-to-Telomere assembly provides a superior human X chromosome reference enabling future sex-determination and X-linked disease research, and provides a path towards finishing the entire human genome sequence.

Complete Hydatidiform Mole and Coexisting Fetus With Gastroschisis: A Case Report Highlighting the Importance of Diagnostic Genotyping

Twin pregnancy with a complete hydatidiform mole and a coexisting fetus (CHMCF) is an extremely rare occurrence, described only by a handful of published series and cases reports. The majority of the literature on CHMCF examines prenatal care and follow-up in relation to the increased risk of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). At present, few reports elaborate on the diagnostic process and differential diagnosis, especially in the context of recent molecular advances in risk stratification for GTN. Here, we describe the first known case of a CHMCF with gastroschisis with liveborn delivery at 35 weeks gestation. This report aims to review the pre- and postnatal differential diagnosis and discuss recent updates on the importance of ancillary studies in the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease.